Holiday in Goa
by iloveromance
Summary: When he returns to Seattle from India, Todd tries to reacquaint himself with the American way of living. But an unexpected phone call from a special someone makes him realize just what he left behind.


Standing in his kitchen gazing into the adjoining living room, he smiled. Even now, a week after he'd returned, he still couldn't believe that he was here. _Here_ being Seattle Washington, or the Emerald City as it was often called; a place where people dressed in casual clothes, where goats and cows didn't inhabit the local call centers and where the cuisine had names that he could actually pronounce.

_He,_ being Todd Anderson, or _Mr._ _Toad _as he was known by the locals during his employment stint in India.

At first he hated the idea of living in a foreign country, one in which he knew virtually nothing about. And he flat out refused to go. But in the end his dignity won. Besides, it was the only way to keep his stock options. And although he'd complained about the trip at first, he soon found that Gharapuri wasn't so bad after all.

But he knew that deep down it had nothing to do with the country itself and everything to do with a certain former employee.

Asha...

His heart warmed just thinking about her. She was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen and that was saying a lot. Her huge eyes were so gorgeous that it was impossible to get them out of his mind. But that was nothing compared to her long dark hair that felt like silk beneath his fingertips or the way she made him feel.

No woman had ever made him feel so passionate, so alive, so loved. And he knew that no woman in the world ever would.

He hated leaving her in India and wanted so much to whisk her away to Seattle. The job was over, the India call center having been outsourced to China and he was only too happy to send Puru and his new wife to run the new center. Puru was an excellent manager and would do an amazing job. He deserved all the success in the world.

Todd meanwhile was happy to return to the United States and even though he knew that things would be different, he would manage just fine.

But he couldn't stop thinking about her no matter how hard he tried. He missed her like crazy. Never in his life did he dream that going across the world to do a job that he had no desire to do would have such a wonderful ending.

Once again he stared out the window at the gorgeous Seattle skyline when he heard a familiar tune. His cell phone sang the melodic jingle that he'd been longing to hear since he returned to the States. The one that indicated only one person could be calling.

He could feel his heart beating as he crossed the kitchen to where his cell phone lay on the counter and picked it up.

"Hello?"

_"Hello, Todd."_

Her sweet voice almost brought tears to his eyes. It had been much too long.

"Hey Asha, how are you?"

_"I'm fine, but missing you like crazy."  
_

"God, I miss you too. So how are things in Gharapuri?"

_"The same, except that you're not here. I was hoping for another Holiday in Goa."  
_

He chuckled remembering her name for the romantic tryst they had shared when they snuck over to her cousin's house. She'd called it a _Holiday in Goa_. And what a romantic holiday it was.

"So are you still going to marry..."

_"Ashok, yes."_ She said quietly. _"Not too much longer now. My parents are making big plans." _

"For the wedding, right?"

_"Yes."  
_

He swallowed hard, not knowing what to say.

"_Todd?"  
_

"Yes?"

"_You're not angry are you? That I'm marrying Ashok?"  
_

He nervously rubbed the back of his neck, grateful that she couldn't see him_. _"Um... No of course not. I mean, you've been promised to the man since you were four years old. That's a long engagement."

_"Todd, I know what you're thinking and I promise he'll take good care of me. We'll have a happy life with lots of children."  
_

"Right... Children."

_"Todd, please don't be angry. We both knew this would never work out. I do love you, but India is different than the United States. And if I was there..."_

"We could have another _Holiday in Goa._" He finished.

At this she laughed. _"Really? You'd want to do that?"  
_

"Asha I have not stopped thinking about it since I left Gharapuri."

_"Todd..." _

He looked at his watch, alarmed at how long they'd been talking. "I could talk to you forever, you know."

_"Well why not?"_

"I'm sure this is costing you a fortune."

"_It is, but I can always pay for it with my new job."  
_

"What job is that? Another call center?"

_"No, being a wife and mother. I'm sure Ashook will gladly lend me the money. He knows nothing about my job at the call center so I don't have to tell him what the money is for. He trusts me."  
_

"He should. I mean, after all you've been together since you were four."

"_I miss you so much."_ She said. _"Do you think it would be all right if I came to Seattle sometime?"_

"I would love for you to come to Seattle."

_"All right. Then I will."  
_

"When?" He asked, the anticipation killing him.

"_On my next Holiday in Goa. Goodbye Todd."_

The connection gone, he laid his phone onto the counter and sighed. He might have been in Seattle but his heart was definitely in Gharapuri, India.

Perhaps Asha wasn't so far away after all.

**THE END**


End file.
